Tahoe Truckee community announcements

TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. – Content for briefs is selected from e-mail submissions to Community Editor Amy Edgett at aedgett@sierrasun.com. Visit http://www.sierrasun.com to events for the online calendar. Please limit descriptions to 50 words. E-mail for print submissions may be 150-300 words. Items published in the print edition news space permitting.Visit Santa Claus at BluestoneBluestone Jewelry in downtown Truckee is delighted to announce Santa Claus is coming to town at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7 to hear little one’s important wishes. Photos will be taken and loaded onto Facebook for you to download. Enjoy the festivities at 10046 Donner Pass Road, No. 3, two doors from Bar of America. Make this family outing a joyous addition to your holiday celebrations. All are welcome to this free event! Santa has requested little ones be ready with their top three requests for delivery this Christmas. Santa must leave by 7 p.m., so the line will be stopped at 6:40 p.m. to allow all to enjoy Santa and make their requests.Party with the bearsThe BEAR League, James Harold Gallery and Hacienda Del Lago are welcoming everyone to the first Bear Holiday Party at the Boatworks Mall on Dec. 7, 6-8 p.m. This event is a fundraiser for the bears as well as an excellent chance to come in out of the cold and party with the community. The hosts will provide hot apple cider, munchies, music, wine and unique shopping opportunities for Christmas. Everyone is invited to take part in the silent auction, as well as the grand prize raffle – a full season pass for Homewood. Artist Katherine Anglin will be present and will unveil her beautiful oil painting of Sunny Bear. Limited edition prints on canvas will be available for sale. Tahoe Basics will present their new line of “Keep Tahoe Bear-able” clothing and gifts. Call BEAR League at 530-525-7297 for information.Holiday Book Drive announcedTahoe Truckee Reads, a community based literacy campaign, is hosting a holiday book drive! The focus is on preschool children ages 0-5 years old. It’s never too early to start reading to your child. With every story you are building their vocabulary and reading comprehension. Donated books will be distributed to area State Preschool and Head Start programs before the winter break so children and their families can enjoy the books together.Donations of new and gently used board books and picture books are being accepted through Dec. 14 at elementary schools, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Office, and The Bookshelf bookstore. The Bookshelf is offering a 15 percent discount on preschool books purchased and donated on site.Contact kerry@ttcf.net or Excellence in Education at 530-550-7984.Holiday Lighting Brightening Tahoe’s North ShoreHoliday lighting is glowing warmly at the gateways to North Lake Tahoe in Kings Beach, Tahoe City, and Squaw Valley, brightening moods and building a festive atmosphere for seasonal shopping, dining and recreation. Benefiting from a North Lake Tahoe Resort Association Infrastructure grant, North Tahoe Business Association (NTBA), Tahoe City Downtown Association (TCDA) and Squaw Valley Business Association (SVBA), have contracted with Starlight Enterprises out of Truckee to install white LED lights on trees at the corner of Highways 28 and 267, North Tahoe Beach, corner of Highway 28 and Coon Street, the “Wye” in Tahoe City, and at the entrance to Squaw Valley. Special thanks to NTPUD, Old Brockway Golf Course, California Tahoe Conservancy and TCPUD for assisting with the pilot program.If you are interested in having new NTBA / TCDA member Starlight Enterprises install your holiday lights, call Jake at 530-448-9493.A Christmas Tribute Holiday ConcertTruckee Tahoe Community Chorus and guestsCelebrate the holiday season at a Christmas Tribute Holiday Concert, Saturday, Dec. 8, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 9, 2 p.m., The Resort at Squaw Creek. The program includes Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, classical and contemporary pieces, traditional carols, and holiday jazz arrangements.The 50-voice Truckee Tahoe Community Chorus, conducted by Susan Horst and Tom Acord, has dedicated this season’s concert series to founding conductor, Chris Nelson who passed away in June. The musical tribute will feature several of Chris’ favorites. The chorus is particularly excited to be joined by a choir of young voices, comprised of students of Courtney Simpson and Susan Horst, who will perform “We are the Children of Promises” and “Around the World at Christmas Time.” Tickets are $15; children/students free; available online, from chorus members or at the door. For information email infottcc@gmail.com, call 530-550-1091 or visit http://www.signttcc.orgHistoric downtown Truckeeto celebrate First Friday, tree lightingHistoric downtown Truckee will light up Dec. 7 (rescheduled from Nov. 30) as the spirit of the holidays comes alive. Beginning at 4 p.m., school children will decorate trees that adorn downtown then head over to the Train Depot to enjoy refreshments, caroling and a visit from Santa! At 5:15 p.m., downtown will light up during the official lighting of the “Bud Fish” Memorial Tree by the Truckee Rotary Club. TDPUD will also be on hand to exchange your old lights with energy efficient LED lights.The holiday festivities will continue with First Friday, “Family Night Out.” Several downtown merchants will be open until 8 p.m., offering s’more making, photos with Santa, caroling, special holiday drinks and treats, activities for the kids, shopping specials, and more holiday cheer! For a full list of the offerings at each location, please visit http://www.historictruckee.com/events, or visit http://www.facebook.com/HistoricTruckee for more information.Zano’s to host Toys for Tots partyThe public is invited to attend the third Toys for Tots event on Dec. 10 at Zano’s Family Italian & Pizzeria, 11401 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, 530-587-7411. Enjoy live music, pizza, salads, candy canes, cocoa, and desserts. Santa will be present for photos. This event is in conjunction with The Truckee-Donner Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Moody’s Bistro in Truckee will be giving each customer one drink and or a dessert with every toy donated for Toys for Tots throughout the campaign. For more information contact Elaine Durazo at 530-581-8888 or elaine.durazo@cbnorcal.com.Sierra Senior Services announces events, programmingFor many older adults the holidays can be highly stressful, confusing, or even depressing. Help Auto Doctor bring a little cheer to some longtime locals by donating gifts and spreading holiday cheer to lonely or financially challenged seniors. The Auto Doctor is selling prescription and food gift cards for $10 each. Just before Christmas they will be delivered to Sierra Senior Services to be distributed to seniors in need. A star will be hung on the Auto Doctor Christmas tree with your name for every $10 card purchased. Call 530-587-2178 or stop by 12000 Pioneer Trail Road in Truckee to purchase. For every card purchased, receive a $10 off coupon for your next oil change valid through June 2013.Body Recall and Nutrition Education classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2-3:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Truckee Donner Senior Apartments started with 23 participants. A 10-week program for seniors is funded by Nevada County Health and Human Services. Dec. 8, Sierra Strings, 5 p.m. in the Community Room, open to the public. Dec. 12, Bus to the Truckee High School Music Concert, call 530-550-7600 to arrange for transportation to the concert and back to the Truckee Donner Senior Apartments. Bus leaves at 6:30 p.m., the concert lasts for about an hour. Dec. 13, Tai Chi in the Truckee Donner Senior Apartments at 10 a.m. Dec. 18, Bingo in the Truckee Donner Senior Apartments at 4:30 p.m. Fro more info and activities, visit http://www.sierraseniors.orgSign up for cross-countryski programs at Auburn Ski Club Teams start up Dec. 8. A great, community-based nonprofit ski facility located next to the Boreal Ski Area on Donner Summit. Low-cost, quality family and competitive Nordic programs and excellent groomed cross country ski trails. Saturday family program sessions are offered through March. Season rentals for kids and adults for a nominal fee. Contact Michelle at 530-426-3313, ext. 110, email at m.mccay-moran@assoc.auburnskiclub.org. or visit http://www.auburnskiclub.org.Tahoe Music Institute to host holiday concertThe Tahoe Music Institute will host its first community recital featuring the hidden classical talents of the Tahoe area on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. at the Sawtooth Ridge Cafe in Tahoe City. Music selections include J.S. Bach, Amy Beach, Elliott Carter, Ignaz Pleyel and Gabriel Faure, which will be performed on piano, violin, clarinet and French horn. And don’t miss the newly formed Lake Forest Clarinet Quartet that will also make their debut performance. The recital is free and open to the public. Feeling tipsy? The Tahoe Music Institute will be accepting donations to help fund lessons for local students. For more information, call 530-581-0618 or visit http://www.tahoemusicinstitute.com.Got holiday stress?Join a fun, festive evening (with tasty food too!) on the topic of women’s wellness and essential oils at “Show and Smell,” Sunday, Dec. 9, 5:45-7:45 p.m., Studio Tahoe, 10775 Pioneer Trail, Truck You’ll get fabulous “smelly” ideas for holiday gifts. Discover how to use oils to Relieve Stress, Ease Pain, Boost Immunity, Sleep Well, Beautify Skin, Energy, Relieve Depression and much more. RSVP to Rachel at 415-827-2623 to reserve your spot and receive a free sample bottle of wild orange oil.Tahoe City Scouts sell Christmas treesBoy Scouts and Venture Crew from Tahoe City Troop 266 have a limited number of fresh-cut, naturally grown Christmas trees for sale at Lighthouse Shopping Center in Tahoe City. A nice selection of trees ranging in size 5- to 14-feet is for sale at $5 per foot. Volunteers cut these trees on lands managed by Tahoe National Forest and in support of thinning efforts for forest health and wildfire prevention projects. Tree sales fund Boy Scout and Venture Crew activities such as summer camps, leadership training and high adventure challenges. Tree lot hours are 3-6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends through Dec. 24, while supplies last.Truckee Optimist Club Christmas Tree SalesThe Truckee Optimist Club announces 2012 Christmas tree lot/sales through Dec. 23 at the Truckee Crossroads Shopping Center, corner Highway 89 and Deerfield Drive. All profits go directly to youth activities, programs, and scholarships for the youth of Truckee. There will be a very nice selection of locally cut Red Firs (silvertips) as well as Noble and Grand fir trees shipped from the club’s grower in Oregon.Tree sales will conclude on Sunday, Dec. 23 (or once the last tree is sold). Visit http://www.TruckeeOptimist.com for hours of operation or call 530-559-1466.The tree lot is manned by Truckee Optimist Club members, youth from schools and teams that benefit from the proceeds, and by other community volunteers. All profits are included in the Truckee Optimist Club annual budget of nearly $50,000, which goes directly to youth activities (both educational and recreational), major scholarships, and grants for Truckee youths.Truckee Boy Scouts selling Christmas treesTwenty-plus Boy Scouts and parents braved the snow-covered back roads of the Plumas Forest Gold Lakes basin to cut 300 red fir trees for the holiday season and transport them back to the Truckee Tahoe Airport’s donated hangar. The freshly cut red fir trees are now for viewing and for sale in the Boy Scout Troop 267 Holiday Tree Sales Lot located alongside Mountain Hardware in Truckee. All of the proceeds go to Truckee BSA Troop 267 where it is used for boy scout and cub scout activities and local community service projects.